What I like about the Bay – different every day

I’ve been hosting guided walks on St Kilda foreshore for over 20 years… and never found it boring! Ever-changing seasons, temperature, wind, tides, and seasonal shifts in plant and animal populations make sure every walk is different.

When the weather’s rough people ask if the walk will be canceled. But unless there’s an electrical storm, my policy is to take the walk anyway. You could always be at home watching reality TV, but a little wild weather provides an extra insight into every day for wildlife; and the comforts we don’t really need. If you keep your eyes peeled you’re sure to see something new. Tonight I saw more than 50 Pacific Gulls (mostly juveniles) foraging in the shallows at West Beach; and a Rakali munching saltbush leaves!

Rakali at St Kilda (pic by Andrew McCutcheon)

In my experience there’s usually a few Pacific Gulls visiting St Kilda, even though they’re listed as ‘rare’ due to loss of habitat in their breeding strongholds in Bass Strait Islands But never so many as I saw tonight. Over the years I’ve seen plenty of Rakali eating a range of seafood such as mussels, red swimmer crabs, hairy stone crabs and European fan worm. I’ve even seen one with a flounder as big as a dinner plate. But the saltbush was a first!